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Updating firmware of SIM800 GSM Module

The SIM800 GSM modem series from SIMCOM offers a lot of features like, SD card interfacing, Bluetooth functionality, FM etc.. In most cases a firmware update is required to avail these features. This post is intended to give an idea about how to update the firmware of SIM800 modems.

Now open the download tool. You should run the tool as administrator. The tool will be inside the folder as shown below

When you open the tool you will get a window like below. I have tested this tool with a SIM 800 modem. You can choose the modem type from the Target box (Marked as 1) . Depending upon the target the window may vary.

Details of the select boxes

Target: Choose the target to which the firmware is to be uploaded. Here I choose SIM800

Port Type: Since we are updating the firmware through the UART pins of GSM modem choose UART. There is another option USB, which can be used to update the firmware through the debug USB port (which obviously we are not selecting).

Now select the COM port to which the GSM modem is connected. You can check this under device manger\ports. (While I was testing, this port number appeared in the tool only when I did run it as administrator).

Choose the baud rate as 115200.

Now select the firmware file to be uploaded. Click the image folder button and browse to the location of the firmware file.

Now open the file selected. Now a set of files gets listed in the window in the middle of the tool. (In my figures files are already listed because I’ve tested this software already.)

6. In this box, you can choose the erase type. Either you can erase the source code only or you can erase both the source code and user data.

7. Now press the “Start Download” button

8. You will see the timer, left to the “Start Download” button begins.

9. Turn ON the GSM modem now if it is OFF or Restart it. (This is very important. You have to restart the GSM modem after pressing the “Start Download” Button. Then only the firmware updating process begins). And you can see the progress bar moving.

10. Now wait for some time. The updating process takes a few minutes to complete. And the progress bar changes colour in between the updating process. Once the update process is completed the timer will stop. Then you can press the exit button to close the tool.

hi, while uploading firmware there was a problem and now my sim800l do not react any more (no led light,…), it is bricked. is there any way to bring it back to live (redo the firmware upload in a forced mode.) ???

sorry, i meant this happens with the right firmware for sim800l. your instruction is clear. in the meanwhile i used an older firmwaretool and other firmware version for sim800l and get it working again. with your firmware tool v1.06 it works better than with an newer v1.19 (error message during firmware update).